This page: Partly obscured by foliage, a fine Morris Six saloon from the 1950s

The 1948-1954 Morris Six MS.

The notes on the back of this old photograph confirm that this is a Morris 6, or 'Six' as it should be known, rather than its closely-related Wolseley 6/80 sibling which shared the same basic outline. The 'Six' was really just a six cylinder version of the MO Oxford, powered by an overhead cam 2215cc straight six engine, utilising the same basic bodyshell from the screen backwards as found on the MO, but lengthened front-end panelwork (wings, bonnet etc) to accomodate the larger engine (as also used on the Wolseley 4/50 and 6/80). The similarity in styling to the Morris Minor is no coincidence either, the 'lowlight' Minor MM also made its debut in 1948, and again was penned by Alec Issigonis. Interestingly, both the MO and Minor featured up-to-the-minute rack and pinion steering, whereas the Six made do with a steering box.

Serious production of the Morris Six got underway in 1949, with just a couple of examples rolling off the line before the end of 1948. Few examples of this large Morris survive now - rot has seen to most of them, and some issues with the engine valves will no doubt have sent many to a premature visit to the scrapman's torch. More information relating to the Morris Six (and related cars) can be found on the 6/80 & MO Club website. A letter, dating to 1948, discussing the supply of a new Morris Six, can be found on this page here at oldclassiccar.